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Lester Gladstone Bugbee

"sunburned to a finish," as he wrote, but probably worse ratherthan better for his vacation.By the beginning of the 1901 summer vacation it was evidentthat he could not carry on his work the following year. Thoughthose of us who saw him daily shrinking in weight and energyknew that his condition was very serious, friends elsewhereheard of his illness with incredulity. Some who knew of hischronic shortness of funds offered assistance. Donald Cameron,who happened at the time to owe a note, though he and Bugbeehad alternately been in debt to each other for years, paid it,and put his current earnings at his friend's service. Dr. Blountoffered assistance and invited him to come to Nacogdoches,where he guaranteed to give him as good treatment as he couldget in El Paso and save him a hundred dollars a month. Ocie,after wailing, "Why did this happen to us ?" reported that herfather would sell the timber land and that he was to denyhimself nothing and give himself no worry concerning money.He obtained an indefinite leave of absence and prepared tospend it, perhaps, in the vicinity of El Paso. Despite their highappreciation of his services, the regents had no power to continuehis salary during absence, and the tragic pity was that heneeded it! He left Austin for the last time on July 27, 1901.He was received in El Paso by two friends, Bates McFarland,just beginning to practice law and not too busy with clients,and H. P. Reynolds, a member of Bugbee's fraternity, teachingthen in the El Paso schools. They spent much time with him,but can hardly have realized how much he needed their com-panionship. He put himself in the hands of Dr. Charles FishbackNorton, whom he had known at the University. Norton did notpretend to know much about tuberculosis, but he was intelligent,scientific, and honest. When Bugbee, after Norton had givenhim up, consulted him about the medical officer at Fort Bliss,who claimed miraculous cures from a serum treatment, he didnot discourage him from putting himself under Dr. Baird'sattentions, but evidently expected little benefit. Whether thisgentleman was a charlatan or a self-deluded enthusiast is hardto determine from Bugbee's reports. He described him as "agreat talker; makes you think you'll get well tomorrow; exag-gerates a great deal, but a good old soul." At least, he performedone service for Bugbee; he made him a sort of office assistant.In his letter describing his duties (October 12), Bugbee wrote: